If you are looking for a simple-minded , inexpensive , and labor - free way to grow murphy , then potato crate are the answer !
One of our potato crates grow strong last year .
Over the preceding few twelvemonth , we have alternate to spring up our entire white potato vine crop ( traditional and sweet-smelling Solanum tuberosum ) , in homemade potato crateful .
One of our potato crates growing strong last year.
I honestly can say it is one of the best gardening decision we have ever made .
From planting , wield to glean , it could n’t be more simple.(See : A Harvest Beyond Belief )
If you have ever grown potatoes in traditional row – you know at first hand how hard it can be .
You can make your crates easily from a variety of inexpensive materials, Here we used 2 x 4’s and pallet wood.
First , there is the tilling up and dig of the rows . Next comes planting . And then the real work set out !
Constant hoeing and scan rows to keep the soil hill up over the growing spud . That does n’t even report the weed chore !
It can be tough work for sure , especially when it comes prison term to dig and harvest .
Not only is dig potatoes from rows labor - intensive , its easy to damage the harvest as you uncover . But all of those tedious chores and issues are a affair of the past with potato crate .
The Ease Of Using Potato Crates
you could create homemade crates out of inexpensive frame timber , scrap woodwind or even pallets . They certainly do n’t have to be fancy or expensive to work .
We create our first few crateful from 2 x 4 ’s and pallet boards for a few dollars each . They are still buy the farm strong today .
you could make your crates well from a variety of inexpensive materials , Here we used 2 x 4 ’s and pallet woodwind instrument .
Potato crates make growing potatoes a breeze!
Our homemade crateful are 36″ foresighted decade 24″wide x 18″ gamy with open end on the top and bottom .
We bulge by making two rectangle from the 2 x 4 ’s that were 36″x 24″. Next , we attached 2.5″ wide decade 18″ long wooden slat ( pallet boards ) to the top and bottom to form an overt - ended crate .
We space slat roughly 2″ aside to assist keep our dirt assortment in billet . You could also use chicken wire or mesh in place of the spline . All that is needed is something to keep the stain in position .
We ride our crates in the back edge of our garden , right on top of the soil .
Next , we set a few inch of our light homemade territory potpourri to fill the bottom .
We make our intermixture from adequate part straw , chopped leaves , compost and garden soil . This light soil work wonders in letting the potatoes develop without struggle .
We start by found our seed potatoes or sweet potato faux pas in the bottom layer of soil , make certain the source spud or slip are covered by at least and inch of soil .
We engraft about 5 pound of seed in each crate . It take a sum of about 5 minute to plant each crateful .
As the plants grow , you simply sum soil up to the top in of the plant . Continue this until the plant have gain the top of the crateful , and then you’re able to stop .
Straight garden dirt can be used , but the light mix is easy to work with . It also makes harvesting much easier .
As for what we plant – we have found some varieties to work best than others . Yukon Gold does extremely well , as do . For sweet potatoes , Beauregard is our go - to pick . It performed incredibly well last year .
Seed link : Yukon Gold / Red , White & Blue Mix Potatoes
Potato crates make growing potatoes a cinch !
Harvesting is sluttish part of all ! Simply topple over the crate and sort through the ground to reveal the Irish potato .
There is no stabbing or ruining of murphy with a pitchfork . Just gentle harvesting !
We usually get somewhere between 25 to 30 pounds of potatoes from each crate .
Last year , one of our sweet-scented tater crates grew so well we had about 50 pounds from one crate . One affair is for sure , we will never grow our potatoes any other elbow room !
Here is to develop a great crop of potatoes this year ! Jim and Mary .
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